Folding rack



May 3, 1966 A. J. POKORSKI FOLDING RACK Filed July 31, 1964 I N VE N T0R.

44/5060 1 QIKQQF/Z/ 5200/ 5, s-S7 75 M? United States Patent O 3,249,232FOLDING RACK Alfred J. Polrorski, 328 Haines Road, v North Madison, OhioFiledJuly 31, 1964, Ser. No. 386,666 3 Claims. (Cl. 211178) Thisinvention relates to a supporting stand or rack having a flat platformfor holding articles to be supported, which platform stands on legs; andparticularly to a stand having a folding platform and pivotallyconnected legs which are drawn together in a space-saving fashion whenthe platform is folded and are spaced apart in a widespread, stable,supporting stance when the platform is unfolded.

Stands or racks embodying my invention are useful for supportingarticles above the floor or ground and can be employed in a wide varietyof applications. They may be made in a wide range of sizes andload-carrying capacities without departing from the concepts andprinciples of my invention. As an illustrative example, stands or racksembodying my invention may effectively be used for holding andsupporting containers of grapes in connection with the harvesting offruit from a vineyard. I have made and used stands embodying myinvention in connection with the operation of a vineyard and willdescribe below my invention in connection with this embodiment of it.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a strong, lightweight,easily handled supporting stand havinga platform stably positioned abovethe floor or ground. Another object is to provide such a stand havingmeans for preventing articles placed upon the platform of the rack fromsliding off one side thereof. A further object is to provide such astand which can be folded or otherwise manipulated to a positionoccupying a minimum of space when the stand is not in use. A furtherimportant object of my invention is to provide a stand which can bestacked on its side with others of its kind through cooperation ofelements 'on adjacent stands in the stack so that the folded andcompacted stands may be stacked in a space only slightly larger thanthat occupied by one folded stand lying on its side. Still anotherobject is to provide such a stand which may be conveniently moved evenover rough surfaces while-it is loaded as by sliding. Another object isto provide such a stand having a convenient and effective means forlifting and/or pulling it.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent fromthe following description of a preferred form thereof together with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a supporting stand embodying myinvention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation view of the stand shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view of the stand shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is' an end elevation view similar to FIG- URE 2 but with thestand manipulated and folded into its storage position; and

FIGURE 5 shows three similar stands folded as shown in FIGURE 4 andstacked on top of each other for storage.

- Briefly, my invention consists of a stand having a generallyrectangular platform that is divided into two parts pivotally connectedtogether or hinged to provide a folding and unfolding action. Four legssupport the platform and are connected generally to the four corners ofthe platform. The two legs near one end of the platform are additionallypivotally connected to each other as are the two legs at the other endof the platform.

3,249,232 Patented May 3, 1966 The legs and platform and theirinterconnections are so arranged that folding of the platform tends tobring the two parts of the platform into a facing relationship as wellas draw together the pairs of pivotally connected legs so that theentire stand occupies much less space than when open for use. Unfoldingof the platform restores its two parts to a flat supporting position andtends to spread apart and position the legs in a wideand stable stance.

As shown in the drawings, the stand comprising a preferred embodiment ofmy invention has a platform of generally rectangular configurationindicated generally at 10 and supported upon four legs 11. Platform 10has a pair of laterally opposite transverse ends indicated generally at12 and laterally opposite longitudinally extending sides indicatedgenerally ,at 13. As shown, platform 10 is made of angle iron stock androds or tubes. Each transverse end 12 is formed by a pair of angleelements 14' and 15 arranged end to end and pivotally connected togetherat their abutting ends by a hinge-like connection 16. Longitudinallyextending rods or tubes 17 are arranged in parallel fashion and extendbetween and interconnect the pivotally connected pairs of angles 14 and15 at the laterally opposite ends of the platfolding platform 10 in onlyone direction and especially to prevent its folding by the weight ofsupported articles applied in the region of the line of division betweenthe two platform parts.

In the embodiment of my invention shown and described here, this one-wayfolding action is accomplished by arranging angle elements 14 and 15 ofeach connected pair of them with one leg 25 lying in a vertical plane,one leg 26 in a horizontal plane and having abutting endwise engagement.Connections 16 are located vertically in the lower side or portion ofthese vertical legs and prevent folding of platform 10 in a directionthat would tend to bring together the upper surfaces of its two' partsas shown, but permit the lower surfaces to be moved toward facingengagement. Other arrangements which achieve these results may beemployed and are intended to be comprehended by my invention.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that platform 10 maybe folded by raising connections 16 from their position shown in FIGURES1 and 2 and that platform 10 cannot be folded by moving connections 16and the line of division coaxial therewith downwardly from theirposition shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. FIG- URE 4 illustrates the directionand nature of the action permitted elements 14 and 15 as hinged byconnections 16. i

Legs 11 are connected at approximately the four corners of therectangular plan outline of platform 10; Each leg 11 is pivotallyconnected as at 18 to one of elements 14 or 15 and for swinging movementon axes parallel to the axes of connections 16 and the line of division.Each leg 11 is preferably straight below its point of pivotal connection18 with platform 10 and then bends in the plane of its swinging movementafforded by its pivotal connection with platform 10 toward its laterallyopposite and corresponding leg 11. The two adjacent ends of these upperbent portions 19 of each pair of legs 11'is pivotally connected togetheras at point 20 for swinging movement on axes parallel to the axes ofconnections 16 and 18. The lower straight portions 21 of each pair oflegs lying along a longitudinal side 13 of platform 10 areinterconnected by a runner-like element 22. Preferably, each pair oflegs 11 lying along and connected to one longitudinally extending side13 of platform and interconnecting runner-like element 22 is formed of asingle piece of tubing, bent as shown in the drawings.

Preferably, when the stand is positioned for use as shown in FIGURES l,2 and 3, lower portion 21 of each leg '11 is straight and inclinedslightly outwardly and downwardly below its point of pivotal connection18 with platform ltiwhile upper portions 19 of legs 11 swing easily upand across the transverse ends 12 of platform 10 to provide a convenienthandle whose use will be explained more fully in connection with theoperation of the supporting stand.

It will be noted that points of pivotal connection 18 between legs 11and transverse end elements 14 and 15 are spaced laterally away frompivot connections 16 interconnecting elements 14 and 15 and closer tolongitudinally extending side-s 13. Thus, when articles, such ascontainer X, shown in broken outline in FIGURE 2, are placed uponplatform 10, there is no tendency of platform 10 to be folded in itsintended fashion by the weight of the load and, in fact, the articlesplaced thereon tend to maintain platform 10 in its flat position asshown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and to lock legs 11 in their stable supportingstance shown in the ame figures.

Preferably, means are provided along the sides of platform 10 forpreventing articles placed on it from sliding 01f should the stand beplaced on an uneven footing, for example. As shown in the drawings, thisis accomplished, in part, by bent-over and connected-together upperportions 19 of legs 11 which serve as a railing along laterally oppositetransverse ends 12. Along laterally opposite longitudinally extendingsides 13, upturned outer ends 23 of elements 14 and 15 andinterconnecting rods 17 act as railings. Outer ends 23 are angled upoutwardly of points of pivotal connection 18 of elements 14 and 15' andlegs 11. As will be explained more fully below in connection with theoperation of the supporting stand shown in the drawings, upturned ends23 perform another function in connection and cooperation withrunner-like elements 22 when a number of like units are folded andstacked.

The various pivotal connections and/ or points it, 18 and 20 may be madewith and provided by any suitable means such as nuts and bolts, forexample. The particular means employed forms no particular part of myinvention.

In operation, the supporting stand described above and shown in thedrawings is positioned for use substantially as shown in FIGURES 1, 2and 3. Platform 10 is unfolded to a flat position with the abutting endsof the vertical legs of pivotally connected elements 14 and 15 andpivotal connections 16 maintaining the two parts of platform 10 in itsflat position and resisting any tendency of the platform to fold bydownward movement of connections 16. Legs 11 are spread apart andrunner-like elements 22 interconnecting the pairs of legs under each ofthe longitudinal sides of the platform are spaced apart and generallyparallel to each other.

When used in harvesting grapes, for example, a supporting stand such asI have described and shown above can be used to support a container intowhich the picker places the fruit as it is removed from the vines. Thesupporting stand holds the container at a convenient level for thepicker. In addition, the supporting stand permits the picker to move thecontainer easily between and along the rows of arbors as the fruit iscollected from the vines. Moving the container is accomplished bygrasping the upper pivotally connected together end portions 19 of legs11 and pulling the stand in the direction of parallel spaced apartrunner-like elements 22. With legs 11 and runner like elements 22 formedof only two lengths of tubing as shown in the drawings, the smoothlyrounded, curved portions 24 joining the lower ends of legs 11 andrunnerlike elements 22 promotes the easy sliding of the stand over evenrough ground. The widely spaced stance of the legs and runner-likeelements. gives good stability to the stand and tends to minimize anyadverse effect of unevenness of the surface upon which the stand isused. When a container supported on the stand is completely filled withgrapes, it may be easily and conveniently lifted from the platform ofthe stand because of the convenient height at which it is supported.

When the supporting stand is not in use, it may be folded for storageinto the position shown in FIGURE 4. Folding is accomplished by raisingpivotal connections 16 at the laterally opposite transverse ends 12toward the pivotal connection points 20 of upper portions 19 of legs 11.As platform 10-is thus folded along its line of division, points ofpivotal connection 18 of legs 11 of platform 19 are drawn together asare runner-like elements 22. The stand can be folded until runner-likeelements 22 engage each other as shown in FIGURE 4. Preferably, theelements are so sized and proportioned that upper bent portions 19 oflegs 11 and their pivotal connection points at 20 do not interfere withthe folding of platform 10 and so that the line of division and pivotalconnection points 16 do not project beyond the connected ends of legs 11when runner-like elements20 are engaged.

A number of similar supporting stands, such as described above, may beconveniently stacked when folded. A stack containing many standsoccupies a relatively small amount of floor space not much greater thanthat occupied by a single folded stand lying' on its side. It will benoted that successive stands in the stack lie upon and along the legs ofthe stand below it, which legs are inclined at various angles. The stackof stands is prevented from sliding and falling by the interengagementof the outwardly projecting upturned elements 23 on the outer ends ofelements 14 and 15 and runner-like elements 22 interconnecting the lowerends of longitudinally opposite legs 11.

Thus, as seen in FIGURES, the lowermost stand A lies on its side onfloor F and engages the floor along one runner-like element 22 andupturned end portions 23 on elements 15. Folded stand B next in thestack has its runner-like elements 22 hooked over upturned ends 23 ofelements 14 of folded stand A. Also, upturned ends 23 of elements 14 ofstand B project into engagement with and behind runner-like elements 22of stand A. Stand designated C is positioned next in the stack and ontop of stand B. Because of the inclination of the uppermost legs 11 ofstand B as shown in FIG- URE 5, stand C can best be held in the stackingarrangement by the engagement of its runner-like elements 22 beneathupturned ends 23 projecting upwardly from stand B and the engagement ofupturned ends 23 projecting downwardly from stand C against theunderside of runner-like elements 22 of stand B.

It will be noted from the manner in which stands B and C of the stack ofstands shown in FIGURE 5 are interengaged that the upturned ends andcooperating runner-like elements can be related in one of two ways inorder to resist sliding apart of adjacent stands in the stack. A fourthstand, if it were added to the stack shown in FIGURE 5, would engageand'relate to stand C in the same manner as stand B engages and relatesto stand A. It is possible to raise and block the left side of stand Aas shown in FIGURE 5 so that its lowermost legs 11 lie parallel to thefloor F. In such a case, adjacent ones of the various stands comprisingthe stack would all interengage and be related in the same fashion asare stands A and B as shown.

It will also be noted that the interengagement of runner-like elements22 and upturned ends 23 of adjacent stands in the stack not only preventthe elements of the stack from sliding apart from the left to the rightas shown in FIGURE 5 but also toward and away from the viewer of FIGURE5. It will be noted that stand C is primarily prevented from movementtoward and away from the viewer of FIGURE 5 by engagement of itsupturned ends 23 and upper bent portions 19 of legs 11 of stand A ratherthan by interengagement with any part of stand B.

In connection with the stacking of a number of similar stands embodyingmy invention, it will be noted that the same general result can beaccomplished by the interengagement of upturned ends and longitudinallyextending elements corresponding to elements 22, but interconnectingother points of two longitudinally opposite legs 11 than their ends, forexample, and my invention is not limited to stands having suchlongitudinal elements in the form and/ or location of runner-likeelements 22.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that stands embodyingmy invention provide a simple, effective and stable means of supportingarticles above the ground or floor as well as means for conveying andtransporting such articles limited distances. The articles to besupported can be maintained at a height convenient to the use-r of thestand. My invention also provides a stand having convenient handlesrelated to the height of its platform for lifting and/or pulling thestand. Further, a stand embodying my invention is able to be easily andquickly manipulated or folded into a position for storage which occupiesmuch less space than the stand in position for use. While I havedescribed a preferred embodiment of my stand in terms of bent tubing,angle stock and rods or tubes, it is obvious that stands emb-racing theprecepts of my invention can be made of other materials.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes andmodifications can be made in the apparatus described herein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A supporting stand comprising a generally rectangular two-partsupporting platform hinged for folding along a longitudinally extendingcentral line of division between said two parts and having laterallyopposite ends and laterally opposite angularly inclined side portionsextending generally parallel to said line of division, means pivotallyconnecting said two parts together and permitting folding in onedirection only from a fiat position With said two parts generally lyingin a'single plane and said angularly related side portions inclined awayfrom the general plane of said platform in a direction opposite said onedirection of folding to a folded position with said two platform partsangularly related and folded about said line of division therebetween insaid one direction and said angularly inclined side portions extendingfrom said folded parts in generally opposed directions, fourlongitudinally extending legs for supporting said platform, each one ofsaid four legs being pivotally connected at a point intermediate itslength to an end of one of said platform parts at a point therealongbetween said line of division and said angularly inclined side portionsso that said inclined side portions lie outsupported on said legs, saidopposite ends of which and said runner-like members attached thereto arewidespread and said pivotally connected-together ends of which extendabove said platform along its ends to form a railing and a handle forsaid platform, and with saidangularly inclined side portions extendingabove said platform to form a railing along its sides and whereby whensaid platform is folded in said one direction said stand and saidopposite ends of said legs and the runner-like elements connecting pairsof them are drawn together substantially reducing the space occupied bythe stand and said angularly inclined side portions extend insubstantially opposed directions away from the folded stand to aposition for cooperating stacking interengagement with a similar andfolded stand.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in whicheach of said legs is connectedto said platform at a point close to one of said laterally oppositesides and away from said line of division of said platform wherebyweight supported by said platform in its fiat and unfolded positiontends to prevent the folding of said apparatus and to stabilize it.

3. The combination of at least two apparatuses according to claim 1 inwhich all of said apparatuses comprising said combination are folded sothat their respective runner elements lie together and adjacent eachother, said apparatuses being stacked one on top of another with saidlongitudinally extending laterally opposite sides and saidlongitudinally extending elements of each operating with and engagingeach other so as to retain said apparatuses in the stacked relationship.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,599,083 9/1926Gagne 211-178 2,513,177 6/1950 Irwin 99-499 2,584,489 2/1952 Morrison211-149 2,785,033 3/1957 HOWe 108-113 2,936,896 5/1960 Friedman 108-12,967,716 1/1961 Murcott 280-41 3,074,734- 1/1963 Munson 280-41 FOREIGNPATENTS 323,480 9/ 1957 Switzerland.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SUPPORTING STAND COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR TWO-PARTSUPPORTING PLATFORM HINGED FOR FOLDING ALONG A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDINGCENTRAL LINE OF DIVISION BETWEEN SAID TWO PARTS AND HAVING LATERALLYOPPOSITE ENDS AND LATERALLY OPPOSITE ANGUALARLY INCLINED SIDE PORTIONSEXTENDING GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID LINE OF DIVISION, MEANS PIVOTALLYCONNECTING SAID TWO PARTS TOGETHER AND PERMITTING FOLDING IN ONEDIRECTION ONLY FROM A FLAT POSITION WITH SAID TWO PARTS GENERALLY LYINGIN A SINGLE PLANE AND SAID ANGULARLY RELATED SIDE PORTIONS INCLINED AWAYFROM THE GENERALLY PLANE OF SAID PLATFORM IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE SAIDONE DIRECTION OF FOLDING TO A FOLDED POSITION WITH SAID TWO PLATFORMPARTS ANGULARLY RELATED AND FOLDED ABOUT SAID LINE OF DIVISIONTHEREBETWEEN IN SAI ONE DIRECTION AND SAID ANGULARLY INCLINED SDEPORTIONS EXTENDING FROM SAID FOLDED PARTS IN GENERALLY OPPOSEDDIRECTIONS, FOUR LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING LEGS FOR SUPPORTING SAIDPLATFORM, EACH ONE OF SAID FOUR LEGS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT APOINT INTERMEDIATE ITS LENGTH TO AN END OF ONE OF SAID PLATFORM PARTS ATA POINT THEREALONG BETWEEN SAID LINE OF DIVISION AND SAID ANGULARLYINCLINED SIDE PORTIONS SO THAT SAID INCLINED SIDE PORTIONS LIE OUTWARDLYAND AWAY FROM LINE OF DIVISION, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING TOGETHER ONEEND OF EACH OF SAID LEGS CONNECTED TO THE SAME END OF SAID PLATFORM ATPOINTS ALONG THEIR LENGTHS SPACED IN SAID OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM THEIRRESPECTIVE POINTS OF CONNECTION WITH SAID PLATFORM,. A LONGITUDINALRUNNER-LIKE MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN AND CONNECTING THE OPPOSITE ENDS OFSAID LEGS CONNECTED TO LATERALLY OPPOSITE ENDS OF EACH OF SAD PLATFORMPARTS, WHEREBY WHEN SAID PLATFORM IS UNFOLDED AND FLAT IT STANDSSUPPORTED ON SAID LEGS, SAID OPPOSITE ENDS OF WHICH AND SAID RUNNER-LIKEMEMBERS ATTACHED THERETO ARE WIDESPREAD AND SAID PIVOTALLYCONNECTED-TOGETHER ENDS OF WHICH EXTEND ABOVE SAID PLATFORM ALONG ITSEND TO FORM A RAILING AND A HANDLE FOR SAID PLATFORM, AND WITH SAIDANGULARLY INCLINED SIDE PORTIONS EXTENDING ABOVE SAID PLATFORM TO FORM ARAILING ALONG ITS SIDES AND WHEREBY WHEN SAID PLATFORM IS FOLDED IN SAIDONE DIRECTION SAID STAND AND SAID OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID LEGS AND THERUNNER-LIKE ELEMENTS CONNECTING PAIRS OF THEM ARE DRAWN TOGETHERSUBSTANTIALLY REDUCING THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY THE STAND AND SAIDANGULARLY INCLINED SIDE PORTIONS EXTEND IN SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSEDDIRECTIONS AWAY FROM THE FOLDED STAND TO A POSITION FOR COOPERATINGSTACKING INTERENGAGEMENT WITH A SIMILAR AND FOLDED STAND.